Beautiful Life
by LiveLaughLove728
Summary: "Sally glanced back toward her son again, probably making her the only one who wasn't steadfastly watching the bride walk down the aisle, aside from the bride herself. She saw Annabeth's expression of joyful love and mature devotion reflected back on Percy's face..." Sally's thoughts during Percy and Annabeth's wedding and the beginning of their beautiful life together.


**Hi! Here's another one-shot for you! This idea just came to me one day and I thought it would be really cute. Hopefully you agree!**

**If you haven't seen/don't read Little Sister, my followup story of ****drabbles for Nine Months (you should!), I am going to start writing stuff regularly again, so you will (hopefully) be seeing a bit more of me lately. :)**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

It was a beautiful day for a wedding; sunny and warm, not a cloud in the sky. The music floated through the air and a light, comfortable breeze blew through every few minutes, ruffling the skirt of Sally's dress as she sat, her husband, Paul, beside her, while the wedding procession, all familiar faces, made its way to the front, and each person took his or her place to the right or left of her son, who stood front and center at the end of the aisle.

Percy, who looked about as handsome and well dressed as she had ever seen him, wore an expression of total calm as he stared straight ahead, looking away from where Annabeth would soon appear only to meet Sally's eyes and give the smallest of smiles in response to her encouraging one before looking right back again. Had she not been his mother, she might have believed that he was as unruffled as he made himself out to be, might not have noticed the tapping of his thumb against his clasped hands as he waited, or the tenseness of his posture. But she was and she did and she could tell. He was nervous.

The music changed then, and everyone stood and turned to look toward the other end of the aisle. Sally followed suit, casting one last smiling glance at her son before following the gazes of the rest of the guests.

A sudden pressure in her hand alerted her to Paul, beside her, as he pressed a tissue into her hand with a small smile, which she returned, squeezing his hand in thanks. She didn't know where he'd gotten the tissues, or if he'd brought them from home, knowing ahead of time that she would need them. That was possible; he did know her too well. The ceremony had barely started and she was already crying. And not for the first time either.

They were tears of joy, of course. There were few times in her life Sally could remember being happier than she was right now. She adored Annabeth and couldn't wait for her to officially become her daughter-in-law. She loved how happy she made Percy. But at the same time, he was her little boy. Her baby was getting married. He was all grown up.

She was overcome with a strange, jumbled mix of emotions. But happiness was definitely a dominant one. This was a happy day.

Annabeth came into view then, and she looked radiant. The summer sunshine turned her blonde hair to gold and her dress and veil billowed gently in the breeze as she walked. She looked the happiest Sally had ever seen her, which, in turn, made her smile even wider. Her soon-to-be-daughter-in-law wasn't looking at Sally or any of the guests though. Her eyes were unwaveringly focused straight ahead, her expression one of joy and a love that seemed too strong and mature for one so young.

Sally glanced back toward her son again, probably making her the only one who wasn't steadfastly watching the bride make her way down the aisle, aside from the bride herself. She saw Annabeth's expression of joyful love and mature devotion mirrored back on Percy's face, making him look confident and even older. And yet, at the same time, his smile was the same. It never changed. It was the same smile he'd worn when he was five years old and had spotted her for the first time at the end of the day when she picked him up from kindergarten. It was the smile of unconditional loyalty and love, and of happiness. Even after everything he'd seen, suffered, and lost, his happiness was still there. It was one of the things Sally loved most about him.

Annabeth reached the other end of the aisle, closing the distance between herself and Percy, and the two, hands clasped, turned together to face the officiant, though, Sally could see, Percy was still looking only at his bride.

He loved her so much and had for so long. Sally knew this better than anyone-she was his mother after all, but it didn't take very much to see it. The two had been through so much together; it only made sense that they were finally here. They'd acted practically married for years now. It was about time. And as Sally watched her son pledge himself to Annabeth for the rest of their lives, she'd never been more proud of him for anything.

It was one thing to be able to fight; to wield a sword and fight in battles and save the world as he did. And it was one thing to fight alongside someone in those battles, to promise to protect them and to have their back in times like that. It was another entirely to pledge to do that and more everyday for the rest of his life, not because she needed it or because it was necessary, but because he wanted to and because he loved her. And as he spoke the words of his vows to her before them all, Sally knew he meant them-every word and so much more. She knew he'd never meant anything more in his entire life than he did those words in that moment.

It was a beautiful sight.

And when the ceremony was over and he kissed her and they both turned to face the gathered crowd of their family and friends, Sally was one of the first to stand to her feet and applaud her son, the one who had been her world for so long. Percy had never looked so happy. He was not her baby anymore; he was a husband now. And just like Paul had become Sally's world just as much as Percy was, Annabeth was Percy's now. Of course, she had been for a long, long time. It was just official now. And few things were ever as right as the two of them were together.

Sally had found her happy ending in Paul, who was better than she deserved. And Percy, for everything that poor kid-for he was just barely more than a kid at twenty-two—had endured, deserved one for himself. And now he had it-all that she had ever wanted for him, and then some.

And it was going to be a beautiful life.

* * *

**There you have it? What'd ya think? Let me know please!**

**Also, I asked in my last update for Little Sister, but I will ask again. I am thinking about writing a post BoO story, probably in Annabeth's POV, about what happens after the book because I, for one, felt it wrapped things up a little too poorly for my liking. What do you think? Ideas? Comments? They're always appreciated!**

**Anyway, thanks for reading. Hope you liked it! See you again soon! :)**


End file.
